But in the end, the whole film comes off feeling like a hastily written money grab, made not because there was excitement and love for these characters and this story, but because someone thought there was some cash to be squeezed from this stone. I liked the new version of Cinderella they did previous year, you can find my review of it here. The prequel/sequel brings back Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin (for all of five minutes) and the backside of someone who is not Kristen Stewart playing Snow White for a blink and you’ll miss it scene. I wish I hadn’t and here are some reasons why.
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“If it’s a fairy tale you’re hoping for, prepare yourself for so much more”. While it may seem that Huntsman may be in some way about Snow White, it really is about a breakdown in relations between the two women, one of whom (Freya) turns into an ice maiden – with all the accompanying powers – after her baby dies and she is pushed to the “dark side” (not to be confused with the Star Wars dark side!) by Ravenna. In the film’s opening third, set before the events of the first movie, Freya discovers her cold hands after a personal tragedy and flees to a kingdom in the North. With all of the behind the scenes controversy, a change in the lead role, a new director, and four years in between installments, does The Huntsman: Winter’s War make a strong case for its relevancy?
Hemsworth’s (Thor and The Avengers movies) Huntsman is one of those children. For Chastain, the character of Sara was unlike any she’d played before, and for Hemsworth, his Huntsman Eric was given the chance to fill in his tragic backstory that was only hinted at in the first film. I guess if your movie makes just enough money and doesn’t patently offend anyone’s sensibilities, you can just go ahead and greenlight the sequel. The story line is way too predictable for starters. She is, literally, an ice queen. By the time we learn just how deep her abilities run, it’s too late to do anything with them. The word “fan” should never apply to a critic, but if I was allowed to have favorites, then Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain would be on my short list. Nick Frost had a few laughs here and there as the dwarven sidekick, but having the dwarves as the constant comic relief got exhausting after a while.
The Huntsman: Winter’s War is not the disaster that some people thought it would be, but it’s not a recommendable film either.
Somewhere in the middle of this maddening mess, the Snow White story is obliquely wedged in and Winter’s War goes from prequel to sequel. The cast gels perfectly together, and it’s entertaining to watch.
It’s easy to forget about 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman.
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The problem isn’t that the film liberally borrows elements from Frozen, Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, but that it does so without making even a little bit of an effort to keep the audience engaged.
